Change of Government Results In Bangladeshi Military Withdrawal From Chittagong Hill Tracts

The army of Bangladesh is reportedly leaving the CHT, only 12 years after the conclusion of a peace deal with an insurgent group:

Army troops remained in the 14,000-sq-km Chittagong Hill Tracts despite the peace deal which took effect in 1997 following nearly 25 years of insurgency by the Shanti Bahini guerrilla group. Most militants surrendered following the deal, but some retreated into the jungle which meant the army troops stayed put. "The troop withdrawal will start immediately and all the 35 camps under three infantry brigades will be completely wound up by end-September," the Defence Ministry said in a statement. Over 8,500 troops and rebels were killed and some 70,000 tribal people sought refuge in India during the insurgency, an officer told Reuters. The peace deal was signed during the rule of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina but the full implementation of the deal was slowed down until she returned to power after an election win in December.